Information Notice 1988-32, Prompt Reporting to NRC of Significant Incidents Involving Radioactive Material

Prompt Reporting to NRC of Significant Incidents Involving Radioactive Material

ML031150128
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Three Mile Island, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, 05000000, Zimmer, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant
Issue date:	05/25/1988
From:	Cunningham R NRC/NMSS/IMNS
To:
References
IN-88-032, NUDOCS 8805200295
Download: ML031150128 (5)

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDS

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 May 25, 1988 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 88-32: PROMPT REPORTING TO NRC OF SIGNIFICANT

INCIDENTS INVOLVING RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

Addressees

All NRC material licensees.

Purpose

This notice is to emphasize the importance of prompt reports to NRC of signi- ficant incidents involving licensed radioactive materials, as required by

10 CFR Sections 20.402 and 20.403. It is expected that' licensees will review

this notice, distribute it to responsible radiation safety staff, and consider

actions, as appropriate, to assure that NRC receives prompt notification of such

incidents. However, this information notice does not constitute new NRC require- ments, and no written response is required.

Description of Circumstances

Title 10 CFR Sections 20.402 and 20.403 require certain incidents involving

licensed radioactive material to be promptly reported to NRC. The most signifi- cant incidents must be reported immediately, and others must be reported within

24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />. The types of incidents to be reported are radiation overexposures, excessive releases of radioactive material, loss of facility operations

exceeding one day, damage to property exceeding $2000, and loss or theft of

significant quantities of radioactive material.

One case involved a 1986 contamination incident at Wright-Patterson Air Force

Base in Ohio. Radiation workers in a radioactive waste storage building

opened a package containing americium-241, and inadvertently spread contami- nation within the building. The event was not initially reported to the NRC.

When the licensee's staff initiated decontamination efforts, the contamination

got worse. The event was not reported to NRC for eight days, and the initial

report did not adequately describe the extent of the contamination. NRC was not

fully informed of the seriousness of the contamination until 27 days later, when reports were received from third parties, and inspectors were dispatched

to the site. Clean-up efforts eventually required several weeks and cost

several hundred thousand dollars.

IN 88-32 May 25, 1988 Other incidents which have not been promptly reported to the NRC have included

a serious fire which damaged a device containing radioactive material, and

losses of gauges containing radioactive material.

Discussion:

It is important that significant incidents involving licensed radioactive

material be promptly reported to NRC in accordance with 10 CFR Sections 20.402 and 20.403. Incidents should be reported to the NRC Operations Center, which

is staffed 24 hour2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />s-per-day, at telephone number 202-951-0550. It is important

that NRC receive such prompt notifications so that we can immediately determine

the need for appropriate emergency actions to protect the public health and

safety. Violations involving the failure to report incidents promptly could

result in escalated enforcement actions from NRC.

It is suggested that licensees carefully review the requirements of 10 CFR

Sections 20.402 and 20.403. In particular, incidents involving loss or theft

of radioactive materials, fires which damage devices containing radioactive

material, or contamination incidents which cause loss of use of facilities

or devices, or require expensive clean-up, should be promptly evaluated as to

whether they must be promptly reported to NRC.

In some cases, failure to report incidents to NRC may have been due to

licensees' misinterpretation of the requirements of 10 CFR Part 20. The NRC

staff is reviewing 10 CFR Sections 20.402 and 20.403, and will make clarifying

amendments as appropriate.

No written response is required by this notice. If you have any questions

regarding this information notice, please contact the appropriate NRC Regional

Office or this office.

Richard E. Cunningham, Director

Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

J. R. Metzger, NMSS

(301) 492-3424 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

Attachment

IN 88-32 May 25, 1988 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NRC INFORMATION NOTICES

Infornati on Date of

Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to

88-31 Steam Generator Tube 5/25/88 All holders of OLs

Ruptube Analysis or CPs for Westinghouse

Deficiency and Combustion

Engineering-designed

nuclear power plants.

88-30 Target Rock Two-Stage 5/25/88 All holders of OLs

SRV Setpoint Drift or CPs for nuclear

Update power reactors.

88-29 Deficiencies In Primary 5/24/88 All holders of OLs

Containment Low-Voltage or CPs for nuclear

Electrical Penetration power reactors.

Assemblies

88-28 Potential for Loss of 5/19/88 All holders of OLs

Post-LOCA Recirculation or CPs for nuclear

Capability Due to power reactors.

Insulation Debris Blockage

88-27 Deficient Electrical 5/18/88 All holders of OLs

Temninations Identified or CPs for nuclear

in Safety-Related power reactors.

Components

85-35, Failure of Air Check 5/17/88 All holders of OLs

Supplement 1 Valves to Seat or CPs for nuclear

power reactors.

88-26 Falsified Pre-Employment 5/16/88 All holders of OLs

Screening Records or CPs for nuclear

power reactors and

all major fuel

facility licensees.

OL

0 Operating License

CP = Construction Permit

IN 88-32 May 25, 1988 Other incidents which have not been promptly reported to the NRC have included

a serious fire which damaged a device containing radioactive material, and

losses of gauges containing radioactive material.

Discussion:

It is important that significant incidents involving licensed radioactive

material be promptly reported to NRC in accordance with 10 CFR Sections 20.402 and 20.403. Incidents should be reported to the NRC Operations Center, which

is staffed 24 hour2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />s-per-day, at telephone number 202-951-0550. It is important

that NRC receive such prompt notifications so that we can immediately determine

the need for appropriate emergency actions to protect the public health and

safety. Violations involving the failure to report incidents promptly could

result in escalated enforcement actions from NRC.

It is suggested that licensees carefully review the requirements of 10 CFR

Sections 20.402 and 20.403. In particular, incidents involving loss or theft

of radioactive materials, fires which damage devices containing radioactive

material, or contamination incidents which cause loss of use of facilities

or devices, or require expensive clean-up, should be promptly evaluated as to

whether they must be promptly reported to NRC.

In some cases, failure to report incidents to NRC may have been due to

licensees' misinterpretation of the requirements of 10 CFR Part 20. The NRC i

staff is reviewing 10 CFR Sections 20.402 and 20.403, and will make clarifying

amendments as appropriate.

No written response is required by this notice. If you have any questions

regarding this Information Notice, please contact the appropriate NRC Regional

Office or this office.

Richard E. Cunningham, Director

Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

J. R. Metzger, NMSS

(301) 492-3424 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

Ellen Kraus, Editor 5/ /88 OFC :INMS NMM :NMM

NAME:DCool :JHickey :RCunningham

DATE:5/ /88sr :5/ /88 :5/ /88

_________________________________________________

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

IN 88-XX

May , 1988 Other incidents which have not been promptly reported to the NRC have included

a serious fire which damaged a device containing radioactive material, and

losses of gauges containing radioactive material.

Discussion:

It is important that significant incidents involving licensed r loactive

material be promptly reported to NRC in accordance with 10 CFR ections 20.402 and 20.403. Incidents should be reported to the NRC Operatio s Center, which

is staffed 24 hour2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />s-per-day, at telephone number 202-951-055 . It is important

that NRC receive such prompt notifications so that we can mediately determine

the need for appropriate emergency actions to protect the ublic health and

safety. Violations involving the failure to report inci nts promptly could

result in escalated enforcement actions from NRC.

It is suggested that licensees carefully review the rquirements of 10 CFR

Sections 20.402 and 20.403. In particular, incidents involving loss or theft

of radioactive materials, fires which damage devices containing radioactive

material, or contamination incidents which cause loss of use of facilities

or devices, or require expensive clean-up, should be promptly evaluated as to

whether they must be promptly reported to NRC.

In some cases, failure to report incidents to NRC may have been due to

licensees' misinterpretation of the requirements of 10 CFR Part 20. The NRC

staff is reviewing 10 CFR Sections 20.402 and 20.403, and will make clarifying

amendments as appropriate.

No written response is required by this n9tice. If you have any questions

regarding this Information Notice, please contact the appropriate NRC Regional

Office or this office.

i Richard E. Cunningham, Director

Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Technical Contact:

J. R. Mel

(301) 49, Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

Ellen Kraus, Editor 5/ /88 OFC :M :IN i

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NAME4 Cool  : ckey / nnngam

DATE:5/.,Y/88sr :5/c)&/88 l :5/(1/88 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY